Rumble, the leading free speech platform, has reportedly been banned in the country of Brazil.
“World powers don’t want Rumble, they don’t want X, they don’t want Telegram, and they don’t want Truth Social. They want to control information, but our companies won’t let them,” Rumble CEO Chris Pavlovski said.
In April 2023, Brazil’s legislative body voted on a divisive bill targeting social media regulation, which sparked intense debates across the country regarding the implications for free speech and the fight against disinformation, according to a report at the time from Reclaim the Net (RTN).
The bill first called for the appointment of a local legal representative who will hold considerable responsibilities.
Secondly, it imposed limitations on anonymous automated accounts, while adopting techniques to detect non-human account activity.
Additionally, the bill emphasizes transparency with regard to sponsored marketing and promotional content, as well as adherence to the 2018 Data Protection Act.
It mandated the establishment of systems for content moderation alerts, access, and appeals, along with specific processes for managing election-related content.
The bill’s sponsor, Deputy Orlando Silva, insists that the legislation does not endanger free speech, arguing, “Freedom of speech is made stronger with a process where the user can contest when he disagrees with the removal of content,” RTN notes.
Nevertheless, opponents argue that the bill’s true intent is to stifle political dissent and curtail freedom of speech.
Tech companies have also raised concerns, suggesting that a more effective approach to fostering a secure digital landscape might involve increased self-regulation.
